The present invention relates to bowed string instruments and more particularly concerns a teaching device for teaching players of these instruments how to properly grip a bow when playing a bowed string instrument.
Bowed string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and fiddles, comprise an instrument with one or more strings and a separate bow that is used create noise from the strings. By way of example only, the following background is directed to a violin. As shown in FIG. 1, the violin 10 comprises a substantially hollow body 12, a substantially solid arm 14 connected to the body 12, a fingerboard 15, and a set of strings 16. The body 12 has an end 18 distal to the arm 14 and the arm has an end 20 distal to the body 12, wherein the distal end 18 of the body 12 and the distal end 20 of the arm 14 form opposite ends of the instrument. The fingerboard 15 runs substantially the entire length of the arm 14 and extends beyond the arm 14 to cover approximately half of the body 12. The strings 16 have two ends, 22 and 24, wherein the ends 22 are attached near the distal end 18 of the body 12 and the opposite ends 24 are attached near the distal end 20 of the arm 14, such that the strings 16 run almost the entire length of the instrument 10. A bridge 28 is attached to the body 12 between the point where the ends 22 of the strings 16 are attached to the body 12 and the fingerboard 15, such that the strings 16 run over the bridge 28. An aperture 32 in the body 12 is positioned between the bridge 28 and the fingerboard 15 such that the strings 16 run over the aperture 32. A chin rest 26 is attached to the distal end 18 of the body 12 near the point where the strings 16 are attached.
As best shown in FIG. 5, a bow 50 has first and second ends 54 and 56 having a longitudinal axis 55 therebetween, wherein the end 56 is bent at an angle to form a tip 58. A screw 60 is attached at the end 54, a metal slide 62 is positioned adjacent the screw 60, a grip 64 is positioned adjacent the slide 62, and a stick 52 is positioned adjacent to the grip 64 and extends the remaining length of the bow 50 to the tip 58. A frog 66 is attached near the end 54 of the bow 50 opposite the tip 58 and is positioned in a substantially parallel relation to the tip 58. The frog 66 has a generally rectangular shape having two opposite surfaces 67 defined by an outer edge 68 proximal the screw 60, an inner edge 70 opposite the outer edge 68, an upper edge 72 attached directly to the slide 62, and a lower edge 74 opposite the upper edge 72. The frog 66 further includes an arm 76 that is located at the corner formed by the inner edge 70 and the upper edge 72, such that the arm 76 is connected to the slide 62. A ferrule 78 is attached to the corner of the frog 66 formed by the lower edge 74 and the inner edge 70. An eye 80 is positioned on the surface 67 of the frog 66. Finally, bow hair 82 is stretched between the ferrule 78 and the tip 58. The bow hair 82 may be made of horsehair or other synthetic material. The screw 60 is attached to the frog 66 so that turning the screw 60 will tighten or loosen the tension on the bow hair 82.
A player plays a bowed string instrument, such as a violin, as generally shown in FIG. 1. The player""s right hand grips the bow 50 near the end 54 about the slide 62, the grip 64, and the frog 66. The player""s left hand grips the distal end 20 of the arm 14 of the violin 10 such that the player""s fingers may press the strings 16 against the fingerboard 15 on the arm 14. The player uses the chin rest 26 to support the distal end 18 of the body 12 of the violin 10 between his or her chin and shoulder. The player moves the bow hair 82 of the bow 50 in a straight line across the strings 16 (i.e., perpendicular to the strings 16) between the bridge 28 and the fingerboard 15. A straight path is essential because it produces the clearest tone and enables the player to execute fast passages. The straight path is achieved by properly gripping the bow 50 so that the wrist leads the bow 50 across the strings 16. In this way, the wrist acts like a pendulum to cause the bow 50 to move back and forth along an identical path.
A proper grip is shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the player""s wrist should be positioned above frog 66 with the little finger resting on the slide 62 at an angle to the bow 50. The player""s middle and ring fingers should rest on the surface 67 of the frog 66 and the player""s index finger should rest on the grip 64. The player""s thumb should rest of the surface 67 of the frog 66 opposite the surface 67 touched by the middle and ring fingers. The player should use his or her wrist to lead the bow 50 and should grip the bow 50 such that the stick 52 is tilted slightly toward the fingerboard 15. Keeping the wrist above the frog 66 allows the bow 50 to travel in a straight line across the strings 16, i.e. perpendicular to the strings 16.
However, it is often difficult for new players of bowed string instruments, such as violins or cellos, to learn how to properly grip the bow 50 such that the wrist, and not the hand, leads the bow 50 across the strings 16. Part of the difficulty in learning how to properly grip a bow 50 results from the fact that the proper grip goes against a person""s natural tendencies for movement. That is, the natural tendency is for people to use their hands, and not their wrists, to move objects. For this reason, new players naturally grip the bow 50 with their wrist positioned at the same level or lower than frog 66, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which allows them to lead the bow 50 with their hand. But leading the bow 50 with the hand causes the bow 50 to travel across the strings 16 in an angled (i.e., not perpendicular) position, which adversely affects the tone and sound. Additionally, because the hand has a much greater range of motion than the wrist, the angled path of the bow 50 tends to change every time the bow 50 passes back and forth. This is not desired. An improper grip also makes it difficult for players to exert the right amount of pressure on the strings 16. That is, too much pressure makes it difficult to move the bow 50 across the strings 16 and too little pressure will not produce enough sound. Further, even if the player begins with the proper grip, it is very difficult for them to maintain the proper grip as they move the bow 50 back and forth across the strings 16. Again, this occurs because new players will lapse into the more natural improper grip as they concentrate on moving the fingers of their left hand over the strings 16 and on reading sheet music.
Accordingly, a bowed string instrument teaching device solving the aforementioned and other problems is desired.
Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed to solve the above and other problems by using a teaching device attached to the bow.
The teaching device for bowed string instruments includes a hollow tubular base having an outer end and an inner end and an internal surface between these ends. The internal surface of the base defines a central opening that receives the bow to provide a secure attachment of the base to the bow. The base has a longitudinal axis between the outer end and the inner end that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bow when the base is attached to the bow. A finger support is connected to the base by a stem. The finger support has a closed lower end and an open upper end and a central cavity between the two ends. The finger support has a longitudinal axis that is positioned at an angle of less than 90xc2x0 to the longitudinal axis of the base. The player""s little finger is positioned within the central cavity of the finger support, which forces the little finger into an angled position with respect to the bow and teaches a player how to maintain a proper grip on the bow.
The teaching device may be attached to the bow in a number of ways. For example, the base of the teaching device may be slidably attached to the bow. Alternatively, the base may include a longitudinal slot that extends from the outer end to the inner end of the base so that bow may be inserted into the central opening of the base through the slot. In another embodiment, the base may be formed integrally with the bow.
These and various other features as well as advantages which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.